The Further Adventures of Cullen, Gardener
by vehlr
Summary: Cullen, the royal gardener, discovers something new in the rosebushes. WWB "spin-off".
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So. My first multi-part story, and it's based on an idea borne of crack. *grins* Well, that's not entirely surprising, I suppose. And for once, I'm not to blame - that honour goes to Cris! The original post is still on LJ - _Circle_Tower/33374(dot)html_ - this was an April Fool's joke on all of her faithful readers, and I believed it for a shameful moment. But then ideas came to me, and this is where we are now.

Much, much love to **_Crisium_**, who has kindly let me play in her sandbox. Therrin and Stephen are, of course, from her wonderful works. Everything else is owned by Bioware and I make no profit, etc etc. Audrey is all mine and, although her name is not a typical Fereldan name, she is based only very loosely on a different Audrey. Which will probably become clear.

* * *

Cullen hums softly, the song permeating the thick perfumed air and finding its way to the sweet elven maid hovering at the archway of the garden. Audrey simpered, as was her way around the former Templar. She had developed a soft spot for the man ever since he had been brought to the castle, weak and shivering and lost. The king had insisted he be given every opportunity to excel in whatever he chose, and he had chosen the garden. The rose bushes were almost wild, turning the once-barren courtyard into a haven for the ladies of the castle. Even the Queen deigned to stop in every so often, her eyes tinged with sadness whenever she saw the faithful gardener – it was at these times that the King swooped in, plucking a bloom and threading it into her glossy hair with a soft smile. Then they would away to the library or the west wing, to while away their time with royal pursuits.

And Cullen would continue to tend to his roses. It was all so terribly poetic, she thought with a soft sigh.

"Miss Audrey," he murmurs softly. "Are you quite well?" She jumps slightly, a faint blush across her face as she emerges from the archway.

"Uh.. y-yes, I'm fine," she stutters. "H-how did you know it was me?" He stands up, turning around with a soft, strangely blank smile. She is not quite sure she'll ever get used to it.

"You smell like thyme and rosemary. It is an interesting counterpoint to the roses. Are we having some form of stew today?"

"Yes.. by request of the king. Will you be joining us or should I save you some?"

"I would be most appreciative if you could set aside a bowl for me. I have much pruning to do today, there is a terrible blight and I do not wish to leave until I have eradicated all traces of it." She jumps slightly at the mention of a blight – everyone does, really, with reports of darkspawn still roaming around the countryside. But he holds up a few leaves and she recognises the black spots on the leaves. Her mother had lost her one and only rose bush to the disease, and it had broken her heart. She nods, before smiling shyly and turning on her heel to leave.

"Oh." He kneels down. "Oh. That is.. new." A slight frown mars his usually-calm face as he inspects something within the bushes. Audrey turns to look, hovering over his shoulder slightly.

"What is it?"

"I am unsure, in truth," he murmurs, leaning back to allow her to see what had perplexed him. She squints, the small plant nestled between the thorns unfamiliar to her. "I must consult the archives again to be sure, but I have not come across a plant such as this in my research." He stands to face her and she holds her breath, dizzyingly close to the man for the first time. He smiles gently, his eyes damningly blank, before stepping back to grace her with a short bow before heading indoors. She closes her eyes for a moment, before returning to the kitchens, the scent of roses and the impossibly gentle gardener clouding her every thought.

* * *

"I am reasonably sure that this is a new species," he explains. They sit, him cross-legged on the soft grass and her resting on a cushion, dozens of dusty tomes surrounding them, and he looks up at her with mild interest. "There is nothing like it in the archives, and very few species even slightly similar."

She smiles, resting a hand on his. "That's _brilliant_, Cullen. You've brought brand new life into the world." Behind them, the king leans against the doorway, a rare opportunity to wear anything but his regal vestments as he watches the pair talk.

"I admit I am.. surprised. That something so new and wondrous would choose today to appear, when I am trying to deal with a blight.. it is most unusual." Alistair smiles slightly, though it is tinged with melancholy for the man in front of him. The woman glances to catch his eye, a softness in her eyes indicating that she too had been struck by the memory. Turning back to the gardener, she thinks for a moment.

"You should name it. It is your right, as the great discoverer." Pulling herself to her feet, she dusts off her dress. "And let us know what you call it. We'll have a proclamation. Scholars will flock to see your garden. Won't that be wonderful?"

"I suppose so." He smiles up at her before standing up, the books collected in his arms. "I shall return these to the library now, Queen Therrin." And without another glance at her, he heads past the king and into the castle. She stares into the bushes, a soft sigh escaping her, and Alistair steps forward to wrap his arms around her waist, kissing her neck gently.

"Are you alright, love? I know it's hard, but we're keeping what's left of him happy. Isn't that a good thing?"

"Of course," she murmurs. "I just.. I just wish I hadn't helped break him in the first place."

He squeezes her lightly. "You can't think like that. He knew the risks.. all Templars do. It was his choice, and although I know you'll never actually believe me on this, it's not your fault."

She smiles slightly, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "You're right. I'll never believe you. But thank you for trying so hard every time." They remain for a moment, transfixed by the new plant – it is clearly a sproutling, but already it was weaving through the thorns and making a place for itself in the garden, dark green leaves fluttering slightly in the breeze.

* * *

Audrey frets.

She had found him slumped in the gardens, fingers bleeding slightly and no other explanations forthcoming. After screeching for some assistance, she had not left his side until ordered by the healers. Now she lingers in the corridor outside, awkwardly sitting at the base of the only chair whilst the king – the _actual king!_ - paces the floor, his wife locked in the room with Cullen and the healers.

The royal pair had always had an eye on the man, ever since they had returned from the king's daring rescue mission – the story varies in the telling even now, but it is widely accepted that Queen Therrin was a terribly unhappy mage after the king sent her away for the sake of duty. Their subsequent reunion and marriage had inspired nobles all over to throw off the shackles of formality and marry for the right reasons, and although this had caused a power upheaval in the Bannorn, it was generally considered a wonderful thing. But then there had been Cullen, the mysterious man. Some whispers claimed he had been a templar, duty-bound to protect the mage, and still others claimed he was the last surviving member of Lothering, rescued by the royal couple on their way back. Either way, he had no recollection of his former life nor any grasp on what made everyone else around him so terribly human.

"Thank you," Alistair says suddenly, and Audrey jumps slightly at being addressed directly. A blush burns up her cheeks as she ducks her eyes. "If it hadn't been for you, we might not have found him for hours."

"I-I.. really, it w-was nothing, sire." She silently berates herself for stuttering, but in a heartbeat he stands in front of her, smiling slightly as he offers her his hand. Pulling her up, he ushers her into the chair.

"I won't have you sitting on the floor, dear lady." The flush rips down her throat and she is fairly sure that she might set herself on fire. The whispers of _Maric's son_ and _the apple doesn't fall far from the tree_ ring in her head for a moment, phrases heard in the shadowy corners of the castle by old hands with loose lips.

Suddenly the door opens and Therrin emerges, and the king is by her side in an instant, concern written all over his face as the feeble whispers blow out of her mind. Here, clearly, was a love worth listening to.

"He's fine," she says after a long moment. "Stephen's going to stay with him until he wakes up, but there's nothing wrong with him. A lot of blood lost, though, and no explanation at all." She rubs her forehead before spotting the young elf-maiden, crossing over to her and kneeling beside her chair. "I know you must be sick of saying this, but are you sure there was nothing else suspicious in the garden when you found him?" Audrey shakes her head slowly.

"There was some blood on some of the plants, I think, but.. that's all, really." The queen nods, before smiling gently.

"Thank you. I'm sorry to have to ask again, you've been a wonderful help. Would you mind staying with him, and then coming to find us when he wakes up? I know you have other tasks to do, but we'll make sure you're covered," she adds, standing up. "I'd just like to leave him in trustworthy hands, and Stephen gets terribly bored on his own." After an astounded nod of the elf's head, she takes Alistair's offered arm and sweeps down the corridor, the remnants of a hushed conversation dissipating in their wake as Audrey shakes her head slightly at her luck.

She slips into the room, smiling awkwardly at the young mage at Cullen's side. He had arrived with the king and queen and the gardener, a scrap of a boy with unpredictable magic and many an exploded dinner for several weeks. Now, though, he had shot right up, tall and gangly and more confident in himself. Popular rumour was that he could be announced as the royal heir within the next few years, should the queen remain without child.

"Hullo," he offers. "I'm Stephen."

"I-I know," she murmurs. "You're the qu-queen's apprentice." He grins suddenly.

"And you're someone new, which is brilliant! Would you tell me your name, please?"

"Audrey. I'm just a kitchen maid, really," she says sheepishly, sinking to her knees next to him, her gaze fixed on the slumbering form in front of them. "But I.. I found him, and now the queen wants me to sit with you.. is that alright?"

"Well, if Therrin thinks you're alright, then definitely." He beams, holding out his hand to shake hers. "I didn't realise you actually _found_ him. He's got a lot to thank you for when he wakes up," he adds thoughtfully, before regaling her with how he had helped look after the man. But she is already fretting again, and Cullen sleeps on.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Woah. So I originally planned this to be quite funny and crack-based, but then.. well, my brain got in the way, and it got srs. I'm kind of hanging on for dear life at this juncture. Things are about to get real. Much love to all my readers, and my lovely reviewer _**coldblossom**_ - sorry, but it will get worse before it gets better 3

Much, much love to **_Crisium_**, who has kindly let me play in her sandbox. Therrin and Stephen are, of course, from her wonderful works. Everything else is owned by Bioware and I make no profit, etc etc. Audrey is all mine and, although her name is not a typical Fereldan name, she is based only very loosely on a different Audrey. Which will probably become clear.

* * *

The plant is definitely bigger, she thinks. Having alerted the royal couple that the man had awoken again with no ill side effects, she had been charged with escorting him around for a few days – paid, of course. The queen had made sure of that. So here she was, sitting in the garden whilst he fussed over the blighted branches of his roses, staring at the patch of ground where she had just two days ago found him prone and weak. His new discovery sits in the middle of the bushes, and he works around it. She wonders why.

"Did you decide on a name?" she asks tentatively, and he turns to face her, shears in hand.

"I did previously think to name the plant after our king and queen," he assents after a moment. "But after the.. incident, I have decided to name the plant after you, if that is alright."

"M-me?" She freezes, eyes wide. "B-but I didn't do anything.. I just f-found you, it was Stephen that saved your life.."

"Queen Therrin was quite clear about to whom I owe my life, Miss Audrey." He smiles softly, and she blinks – his eyes look a little different today. "I intend to name it Audrey the Second, of course. It will never be comparable to the first." _Is he flirting?_ The blush across her face feels like it will burn her skin off. "Although I have my concerns about what kind of plant it will be categorised as," he continues, turning to look at the dark leaves. "I think it may, in fact, be a weed."

"O-oh." And that stings a little, she thinks as she fans her face, but she smiles slightly. "Have you learned much about it?"

"Only a few things. I must first work out how to take cuttings, and grow more plants from it. This way, I shall find out the optimal conditions for it." He regards the plant carefully, his hands in his lap as he kneels down. She shuffles in her seat for a moment before hauling herself up, dusting off her skirts.

"Would you mind if I had a look?" she murmurs, stepping forward, and he whirls around on the balls of his feet, eyes slightly wide as she kneels next to him, arm outstretched to feel the plant. He glances down, already fearing the worst as the flower bud begins to open up in response to her body heat, the thin rows of sharp teeth still stained from the last feed. Without thinking, he lunges at her, knocking her off her haunches and onto her back with a small gasp of surprise. Looking back at the plant, he narrows his eyes slightly as the bud recedes, denied fresh blood.

"Mister C-Cullen.." She blinks quickly, her breath coming in small mouthfuls as she tries not to stare; the man had bowled her over and was now leaning on his arms above her. He glances down at her impassively and she can feel her cheeks heat up underneath that not-quite-blank gaze. "W-what.."

"Did you not see?"

"S-see what? Was there a b-bee?"

He smiles suddenly, and there is something in those eyes again, something that was not there a few days ago. She feels a pull at her courage, a desire to know what that something was. "Yes, Miss Audrey. I am sorry to have startled you over something so small."

"A-actually I'm allergic to beestings, s-so.. you s-sort of just s-saved my life." She smiles shyly, and he reaches up to brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her heart is racing and her mind, so full of questions about his strange behaviour before, is now blissfully blank as she breathes in, wanting this moment to hold for just a little longer. But he pushes himself up, offering her a hand, and it is gone.

Allowing him to help her up, she brushes the grass off her dress before returning her gaze to the strange plant, mindful of any bees lingering around. But as Cullen takes her arm lightly and guides her back to her chair, she cannot hear the telltale buzzing, which was something of a relief.

* * *

To Cullen, most of the world is muted; it is like everything is mostly grey, washed out and uninteresting. There are colours, of course – he is not blind, they just do not interest him. He thinks, sometimes, that in his past life, before the castle and the garden and the roses, the world must have been in glorious technicolour. But he does not remember, and he does not miss it. Much.

He sits in the garden. The sky is dark above him, and the castle around him quiet. Cross-legged in front of his new hobby, he waits for the bud to emerge. This is becoming a ritual, almost – nightly communes with the impossible plant. Eventually, it comes. Teeth bared, it gestures at him softly and he feels its presence in the back of his mind.

"Hello," he murmurs. The plant waves a tendril in acknowledgement. "What happened today.. cannot happen again. You must not attack Miss Audrey, ever. The only source of food is me. This is our deal." The plant nods, and he offers a hand. Teeth clamp into his fingers, a ghost of a wince passing across his face as the entity feeds on his blood. Through the mental connection, he is shown a strange world.

There is black everywhere, though it is the most vivid colour he has ever seen. Everything is tainted with it in some way, and for a moment he wonders if this is the Blight he is seeing. Then the world melts away, and there is the queen – no, _Therrin_, he thinks with an unfamiliar pang. She is tired, he can see that in her face. And she is so close to crying, and she is talking – to him, asking him how long they have been married, and there is a pain in his chest at that, which makes so little sense to him now. But it seems like it was once important.

And there is Stephen, so much younger here, and Leliana the bard and Teagan – his face is kind but there are words of marriage floating around him – and the king, still the king, always the king.. everything comes in a rush of lights and he wrenches his hand back with a cry, panting heavily. The plant nudges his foot gently, tilting its head slightly.

_You wish to remember_.

He shakes his head slightly in disbelief, clutching his sore hand and staring at the alien plant. Wrapping his fingers in his robe, he stems the bleeding before standing up, swaying slightly.

_I am not unkind._

And the world comes back to Cullen in a blur of colour.

* * *

"What in the name of the Maker is going on here?"

Stephen is sweating slightly and Therrin is pale, her face drawn as they both tend to Cullen for the second time in the week. Alistair had found him this time, sneaking into the garden to pluck a bloom for his wife, he had stumbled upon the collapsed gardener, shivering and drenched in sweat. Audrey had been sent for, and now he was resigned to pacing again – though this time they were all together.

"It just doesn't make sense. He was cut again, right?" he continues, frowning. Therrin nods, her eyes fixed on the marks along each of his fingers. "But no culprit. We doubled the guard, we've had Audrey around, she hasn't reported anything.. this doesn't make sense!"

"Alistair, we are all fully aware of the situation," snaps Therrin, but her eyes are soft as he kneels by her, their hands finding each other.

"Sorry," he murmurs mulishly, and she sighs slightly as he nuzzles her neck.

"I know." Beside them, Cullen fits slightly and they break apart, the tension in the room still high. Stephen places a hand on the man's forehead, his own marred with a frown.

Behind them, the door opens and an agitated Audrey descends on the group, tearful and trembling as she clutches Cullen's hand. She murmurs softly to him, unintelligible words that Alistair can barely even hear never mind decipher, and Therrin has to coax the girl off him gently.

"Audrey, dear, come away.. I know it looks bad, but he'll be fine, I promise." Alistair runs a hand through his hair, sharing a glance with Stephen before pacing again. The elven maid allows herself to be led into a seat, still shaking.

"I-I don't understand," she murmurs softly. "I th-thought.. he was f-fine before.." Therrin kneels by her chair, brushing a strand of hair from her face with an understanding smile.

"It's alright. When he wakes up, we'll ask him. If he really can't remember.. well, we'll keep him out of the garden for a few days, see how that goes." The king nods agreement, but Audrey could not look more horrified.

"B-but his entire life is in the garden.. your Majesty -"

"Please, just Therrin.." the queen says with the tone of someone who is tired of correcting people.

"- you simply can't, it's all he has left!" Alistair stops dead in his tracks, eyes fixed on his wife. She could be a statue right now, her shoulders stiff and fixed at the maid's words. For a moment the air is still, and he thinks of the calm before the storm.

And then Therrin reminds him why he is in love with her.

"Audrey." Her voice is soft, but the room is hanging on to her every word. "If Cullen cannot remember the events that have led him to the healers twice, then we have to look out for him, even if it pains us to do so. We do not have the luxury of being able to pander to his desires when his life may be at risk. Alistair and I.. we have a responsibility to him, to keep him safe." She smiles slightly, squeezing Audrey's fingers. "I think, out of the pair of us, you would be better suited to take care of his happiness right now." And Alistair is not exactly sure how women just know this sort of thing, but clearly he has missed a trick somewhere. Audrey is blushing and nodding and for a moment he thinks that Therrin has a new friend, a real friend who is not about to run off back to Orlais because of his idiot uncle -

"Therrin..?"

Heads whip around. Cullen is struggling to sit up, but the change in him is already obvious. He instinctively looks to Therrin, the shock on her face a picture in itself as she extends a trembling hand to touch his wrist. And then his arms are around her, one hand stroking her hair as he murmurs softly to her. Stephen pulls back, standing beside Alistair for a moment. The king watches for a second, before beckoning Audrey to follow him out.

Cullen is back, and Alistair is not a fool.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: Soooo the drama. I originally introduced a specific character here soley as a plot device and a foil for Therrin's inner turmoil, but then I had a revelation and now there's going to be a sequel. Yes, a crack sequel. Just.. don't ask, alright? It happened. Things Progress! Maybe Two More Chapters! Le Gasp!

Much, much love to **_Crisium_**, who has kindly let me play in her sandbox. Therrin and Stephen are, of course, from her wonderful works. Everything else is owned by Bioware and I make no profit, etc etc. Audrey is all mine and, although her name is not a typical Fereldan name, she is based only very loosely on a different Audrey. Which will probably become clear.

* * *

She returns to him later, much later. Looking tired and thoroughly worn down by the whole proceedings, she slips into their chambers with little ceremony, and he turns back to the window, not entirely confident in his ability to do the right thing if he should look at her.

"How is he?"

"Confused.. but I think we all are. He seems to be.. well, completely healed. He remembers everything from before. Since Lothering, though.." She sighs softly, and it echoes around the room, rolling down his neck. "It's like things are fuzzy. He's not sure about the details. He was shocked when I told him I was queen." He hears her sigh, soft steps crossing the room as she places small hands against his back. "I'm not sure what to do about it all, really. Would it be wrong to ask for a day off from everything?"

"No.. I think you've earned it, the past few hours. Maybe even a proper holiday. I hear Orlais is nice this time of year."

"Are you alright?"

"I've had better days," he admits, because he cannot, just cannot lie to her, not now. "Listen.. I've thought about this, and I know you're going to shout at me one way or another and I'd rather you shouted at me for being noble than for being selfish.." He is holding his breath, he realises, but he continues anyway. "I'm okay, you know. If you want to.. try again. Go back to what you had. You were happier with him, I think, and you've got the chance.. if you wanted to take it, I can't blame you, and I won't stop you.. Maker, I don't think I could even if I wanted to, but.. well, I want you to be happy, Therrin. If that means letting you go.. so be it." He smiles slightly. "Besides, I.. well, I'm not sure I'll be ready for it any time soon, but they say the third marriage is the charm, right?" _There_, he thinks. _At least it's said_. She does not move for a moment, before her hands slip away from his back and he knows exactly what she's going to say next, there will be shouting and he will have to stand there and be berated like a child -

"Oh, _Alistair_." It is soft and sad and he cannot stop himself turning around to wrap arms around her as she sags against him, utterly defeated. "Why do you have to be so.. you?"

* * *

She watches the queen in the garden, from the safety of her new balcony – she has been appointed a room of her own, promoted to the service of the queen directly. The king is busy in a meeting, of course, but Audrey finds herself wondering if he absolutely had to be there, and whether this is a sign of things to come. Therrin looks fine – more than fine, actually, as she had approached the courtyard with a smile that sang of love and happiness. Audrey wonders which of the queens two men has put that smile on her face.

Behind her, another man follows her lead – Arl Teagan Guerrein, one of the few men in the whole of Ferelden who could safely escort the queen without suffering the royal wrath. Attractive in his own way, once, but now his face is drawn and full of sorrow. Audrey knows why – the whole palace knows of the lost love of the Arl of Redcliffe, and they mourned for them. The bard Leliana had been gone for two years now, and every day seemed to show on his face.

"You know, I received a letter from her," Therrin says casually, but the gleam in her eye is obvious. Teagan, for his part, says nothing. "She's in Orlais, now. Terribly bored, so I hear." He makes a noise, noncommittal, and she laughs.

"Lady, did you not call me in to assist with a problem?" He gestures around him, one hand on his decorative sword as he sighs resignedly.

"You're quite right. Let us deal with the issue, hm?" She turns to him, hands on hips. "You're a terrible Arl." He winces at her words but does nothing to deny them. "I've half a mind to banish you, for the safety of Ferelden. Your lack of attention when it comes to Landsmeets and affairs of state are borderline negligent."

"Your Majesty.."

"And I've told you not to call me that," she adds, tapping her foot. "Yes, banishment sounds like the right attitude after all." His jaw drops. "Unless you fully commit to doing what is in the best interests of the arling of Redcliffe before the season is out, I shall banish you forthwith. To a little province in Orlais, perhaps.. I hear the weather in Arlesans is wonderful this time of year."

"B-but.." The look of shock on the man's face is priceless. And then Audrey watches as the queen laughs, a giggle turning into hysterical cackling, and the Arl, stunned to silence, simply watches for a long moment before realisation dawns and his shoulders sag in defeat. "Arlesans, you say?"

"Yes," she confirms, bringing her laughter under control and wiping her eyes. "I would recommend it as a holiday spot, in fact, should you choose to take one any time soon." She reaches out, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Do what is best for your heart, you daft man. Go get her."

He smiles suddenly, the weight of two years lifted with her words. "I shall, my lady. But first, we have a plant to examine."

"I confess, I did request your presence for my own machinations. But it is good to have a friend here in these troubling times." She turns to the bushes, kneeling down and murmuring something that the elf-maiden cannot quite catch.

Suddenly, she hears a loud knock, and the voice she has thought about for the last few hours.

"Miss Audrey?"

* * *

"Why do you have to be so.. _you_?" She is unreadable at this moment, voice cracked with hurt – but who for, he has no idea.

He chuckles weakly. "Well, I have to have some redeeming features for being a blithering idiot most of the time," he reasons, one hand stroking her hair softly. "Of course, if you wanted to stay, I'd be okay with that too. Very okay, actually. I'm just saying.. I mean, I'm not going to stand in the way.. if that's what you want.."

"Shut up," she murmurs, head tilted back as she smiles. "I do wish you'd stop thinking I'd _settled _for you." She reaches up to stroke his cheek lightly, a tender action that stirs his heart into beating doubletime. She still had that effect on him, and he was content to let her have her power. "Despite the situation, I think I would have quite fallen for you all over again, regardless."

"Oh. Really?" A pause. "Good. Because between you and me? I really don't think I could manage a third wedding. They're far too much pomp and circumstance, and really? I could do without the hassle, I get enough grief from Eamon and the other nobles as it is for my actions.." She is laughing at him, he thinks as she reaches up to press a kiss against his lips – but as one kiss becomes another and another and then clothes begin to disappear, he is very much okay with that.

* * *

"Miss Audrey?" She jumps at the sound of his voice, a completely alien tone in comparison to before. Turning slowly, she drinks in the sight of him. He holds himself differently now, back a little straighter and eyes filled with life as he hangs awkwardly at her door. "I, uh.. I didn't know where you'd be, so I asked.. can I come in for a moment?"

"O-of course!" She scurries away from the balcony, pulling up a chair for him from her table. He smiles gently, stepping inside and gesturing for her to sit down.

"I.. wanted to see you. I know things have become a bit.. strange, and you're in the middle of all this with no idea about the truth. It doesn't seem fair to you, to be so in the dark." He kneels in front of her, looking up to her eyes, and she ducks her eyes, blushing slightly. "You're the only person around here who tried to be my friend, I think. So I want you to know.. about me, about who I am, all the stuff that went missing. Is that.. is that okay?" He sounds slightly nervous. She nods lightly, and for the next half an hour she learns – about the Tower, and the bloodmages, and Therrin the enchanter, and lyrium – and somewhere between Teagan's failed proposal and that last fight at Lothering she bursts into tears, her heart fit to burst at this man's life of sadness. He smiles slightly, reaching out to hold her hand.

"I-I'm sorry," she sobs. "It's j-just so.. so t-terrible! You and the qu-queen.. so h-happy.. and then t-to have that t-torn away.."

"It wasn't so bad," he murmurs gently. "I didn't know it was missing before, and now.. well, I don't really remember much from inbetween. Just.. feelings, sort of. How the rose petals felt when they were healthy. The smell of the throne room. Your perfume.." He chuckles slightly and brings her wrist up to his face. ".. and how it would get sweeter when your face got red," he adds in a whisper, the words ghosting over her skin. She shivers, face blooming at his words, and he grins – it looks so out of place on him, despite his shift in personality.

"M-Mister Cullen..?"

"Audrey, you were the only person who cared. The ONLY person." He cants his head, the smile softer now. "Think about it, just for a moment.. I didn't know any better at the time, but I was so _lonely_. The only other people I could talk to, I had to get a royal appointment with. There was only you.. sweet Audrey.." He kisses her wrist lightly, eyes watching her as her breath hitches.

There is a scream, a deathly cry from the garden and her head whips around, hand tugged from his grasp.

"Therrin," he growls, leaping up and over the bed to watch from the balcony. She knocks over the chair in her haste to follow.

From their viewpoint she watches in horror as Queen Therrin screams again – this time for aid as Arl Teagan's knees buckle and his sword drops from his hands, collapsing into a pool of his own blood with little ceremony.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: Woah. Heavy stuff implied here. Thanks as ever to Crisium, who approved of my madness. One chapter to go.. AND THEN IT'S SEQUEL TIME!

* * *

"You're kidding." The look on the king's face is almost hysterical, if it were not for their friend lying nearly-comatose by their elbows. Therrin shakes her head adamantly.

"It was the plant."

"You do realise you sound like a crazy person, right?"

"Yes, Alistair."

"They'll never believe it."

"No, Alistair." Exasperation now.

"But you want me to go in there and.. and tell the Bannorn.. that a plant just tried to kill Teagan."

"Alistair.."

"Well, come on!" He's on his feet now, pacing again out of a lack of anything else to do. "They're going to want some sort of explanation, and I'm out of ideas."

She folds her arms, sitting back in her chair and watching him with narrowed eyes. "Then don't say anything. Until Stephen comes back with some sort of news, we don't have to hold court. You're king," she reminds him, the hint of a smile on her face for a moment. He opens his mouth to argue, to point out that the Bannorn would never just stop because he tells them to – and then he laughs, a slightly hysterical sound that has Therrin reaching for his arm as his knees buckle and he slumps back in his seat, shaking with laughter still.

"Sorry, my love," he chuckles. "Just the idea of me telling all those nobles to wait five minutes whilst we sort ourselves out.. I can just about handle the decision of what to have for dinner."

"Alistair.. like it or not, you are king. I didn't put you on the throne just because I didn't agree with Anora, you know. I did it because the country needs someone who cares, and who can make the big decisions on behalf of the people. You can be that person, if you start believing it as much as I do. So let's start with this one, okay?" She smiles gently. "Given that we have no information on this plant, a dear friend still asleep, a handmaiden in hysterics and a gardener who is quite obviously not himself.. what should we do, my king?"

* * *

He drags her into the garden, and she pales at the sight of the plant – taller than the king now, and swaying despite the lack of breeze, the bud almost looks as if it is smiling. Tendrils curled in lazy piles around the garden glisten in the moonlight, their spikes dark. Audrey shakes her head.

"M-Mister Cullen, I d-don't think we sh-should go n-near that.."

The man smiles that dangerous smile. "Audrey, it's alright. It won't attack me."

"It's n-not n-natural.. Arl T-Teagan.."

"He was not wanted here. But you, sweet divine Audrey.." He sweeps her up in a tight embrace, leaving her slightly breathless with his sudden closeness. "You are perfection, you know. Honest and true." Fingers glide deftly over her cheek, following the blush down to her neck with the lightest of touches. "Your heart is pure, your mind unfettered by worry and stress.. no traumas, no nightmares.." She opens her mouth to ask him how he would even begin to know this sort of information, but he leans in, lips barely an inch away from hers. Her breath catches in her throat. "You would make a wonderful bride," he whispers, and a thrill runs down her spine despite the warmth of his body. A vision, unbidden, springs into her mind – her and him, blessed by the elders and the royals, a garden filled with roses and his laughter.. and more, a _child.._

"Audrey." The king's voice cuts across the night like a blade. "Step away from him." She turns her head to look at him – he is in simple splintmail, sword and shield in hand and the queen behind him looking like stone and ice and strength. The tension rises. Cullen laughs, and she has never heard a more terrifying sound.

"Grey Wardens." But the voice is not Cullen's. She turns, horrified, to stare at the plant – the bud acting as a mouth, the vines whipping up around them. "So you have come to me at last." Struggling against the man holding her still, her voice starting to raise in a cry for help, she is silenced by Cullen's lips, Cullen's tongue, a strange sensation creeping down her throat -

She staggers as the man is wrenched from her, pushed back by a sledgehammer of ice.

"Leave her alone," growls Therrin. Cullen reels, but the smile on his face is not moved.

Alistair directs his attention to the plant. "Why can't we sense you?"

"It is not blood." Audrey has no idea what that means, but the opportunity to dash behind Therrin is not wasted. She stumbles slightly as the queen pulls her from the line of fire, shaking in her arms. "That which you would call the taint is not easily detected by hot-blooded creations when it is not housed within similar circumstances. I have no blood for you to sense, therefore I have grown unnoticed."

"What is th-that.. thing?" she whispers, and Therrin freezes above her, eyes fixed on the gardener. In front of them, Alistair swears under his breath.

"Ah, you have noticed my effect on your.. friend," calls the plant, its sickly grin widening. "His lady friend seemed to enjoy herself at any rate."

"Shut up." The queen's voice is like a hard line as she straightens up. "What did you do to Cullen?" As she speaks, his body becomes rigid, jerky, like a puppet controlled by an inept master. A vine whips around his leg, ripping into flesh with ease as his eyes roll into the back of his head and his limbs shake. "What are you doing to Cullen?" she shouts. Audrey can only watch in horror as his mouth opens and a wordless cry rips forth from his throat.

Alistair roars, launching forward with his shield as he slams into Cullen, sword coming down on the spiked vine with all the force he could muster. He stumbles as the plant shrieks, its grip on Cullen slack as the man flies into the wall and lies still. Therrin shoots off a fireball straight at the bulbous bud, deflected by a mesh of thick leaves.

"How dare you!" it rasps, but already the king is rallying, his mage at his back with a rush of ice and flame. "My master will not forgive you lightly!" It deflects another fireball, leaves dropping in a pile of cinders. "The Architect sent me with a message!" And that gives Therrin pause – pause enough to stop Alistair for a moment with a barked command. He pulls back, sword still raised.

Audrey watches from the sidelines, having crawled to Cullen's side. He breathes, which is a relief, but she cannot shake her ill-feeling. And then she hears it – a chant of some sort, a drone of noise that rings in her ears and makes her head fuzzy. She looks up to the queen, whose head turns sharply to stare at her, the look of horror clear. Reaching up a hand to claw at her robes, she stumbles forward, sharp pains in her throat and head preventing her from crying out as she trembles.

"Audrey! _Audrey!_"

* * *

She can hear them, faintly. The king and queen, calling her name – but there is nothing around her, no ground beneath her, no air above.. and soon, silence falls around her like a curtain. She floats, the sound of the call teasing through her. She understands with a strange clarity now what the enchanting voice is. An Old God, divine and yet impure, slumbering in the dark since the dawn of man and He is so cold and alone..

She follows it. Flowing through the nothingness, she somehow finds a direction. The call pulls at her, gently coaxing her into the darkness. Was it fair, it reasoned, that Man could be forgiven his transgresses, but a God, greater than all, could not be? Was it fair to be left alone in the dark? Audrey knew about these things, it pointed out. She had been alone so many times, in the shadowy corners of the Alienage. She was still alone in the castle of stone and humans, even in the garden with her human love so simply unrequited..

It hurts her chest, this toxin in her veins, and she is reminded of the roses with their blight-spattered leaves. She wonders if Cullen is here in this empty space, following the call. She hopes he is not as lonely as she is.

_".. Audrey?"_

She turns around. That voice is one she knows, though she cannot place it. There is nothing here, the call reminds her insistently. But her memory is tugged, the face of a young mage.. what was his name?

_"Audrey, can you hear us?"_

That was an important voice. Royalty. Female.

The call turns her head back, almost angry now. Alone, it reminds her. Completely alone. Forward into the darkness, on and on until we are one..

_"Audrey!"_

Everything lurches. She falls forward.


End file.
